Food Habits I Formed In My 20s (For Better Physical/Mental Health!) 

SmAsH dAt LiKe button for the series!!! 😂 (I’m taking the piss but plz do...it’s been helping the series do SO well! YOU HAVE THE POWER)

As a dietitian this video makes me so happy! I’m so sick of black/white thinking , bad foods good foods etc. We need to learn enjoy our foods ☺️ I really love the idea of making food diaries and it really works!

Melanie's content have been an absolutely integral part of my ED recovery. I seriously feel thankful for her every day, especially as I try to block out the rubbish coming from a zillion fitspo instagram accounts and people who are ignorant about healthy relationships with food. So much love to you Mel!

“And if u are a fan of my accent, that is probably why i have half of my subscribers” lowkey me

your honesty is so admirable, bloody love this

Thank you for this video Melanie, I'm 19 and unfortunately have developed a terrible relationship with food because I was constantly surrounded by the insecurities of the women in my life like my grandmother, who was never happy with herself and as a result has also body shamed me. This caused me to hate my appearance and crash dieting which have made my weight fluctuate and I feel that it has spiralled out of control. This video is helping me to adapt a fresh, positive mindset about eating, which has been a difficult battle. The part where you mentioned being guilty about eating has really it home. Thank you! ❤️❤️❤️

PLEASE tell me what products you're wearing on your skin because you are literally glowing omg

I'd love to see you making food diary fridays again!

this is EXACTLY the video I needed to come home and watch right now. I feel a little guilty watching as I sip my black coffee but you inspire me beyond what I can express to improve my relationship to food and keep pushing towards recovery. you're a huge role model to me, I love these videos and I'm sending you so much love xxx

I just finished your book and it gave me ALL the feels

love the accent, the voice, the face, the eyes, the oratory, the temperament, the hair, the ideas, etc

You are GLOWING 💛💛

I find myself craving your channel when I need self care. This video was soooo timely. Thank you so much for being an authentic person, Melanie. Up for more food diaries, too. You are one of the only healthy food places I've found on the internet.

Thank you! I am struggling so bad with IBS and the food journal will be such a help. My husband and I are on this journey together to be overall healthy people and you are so right! Eat to fuel your body and enjoy! I appreciate how you have been so open about your IBS. You have helped me so much! I'm in the eliminating phase to see what all triggers mine. Anyway, lots of love to ya! Keep fulfilling your purpose! 💚

Intuitive eating is the best. That’s what I go for. I eat what I want, when I need to. I don’t really care what I end up looking like.

I have IBS too and I’ve never heard anyone talking about it, thanks for helping me feel else embarrassed xxx

Thanks for sharing! Every time I watch one of your videos I feel like I learn so much and this time was no different, you're just so wise idk 😊

I love the way you talk about food. It is definitely one of the things that I believe prevented me from developing an eating disorder. A couple of years ago, I felt completely uncomfortable in my body, because I had put on 30 pounds. At the time, I started o get really obsessive about what and how much I ate. Then I picked up your book, and it completely changed my perspective on food. The bits about food and several other topics were great to read about, and I still think about it to this day.

One of the biggest eye openers I had recently was when I started tracking calories, just for fun. I don't like eating by calories but I thought I could try it for a week. It turned out that I was eating only half the amount of calories than the average person of my age, weight, and height needs. I always felt like I ate too much and needed to cut back when in fact I was eating much too little. That also explained why I always felt tired, I simply wasn't giving my body enough energy. Sometimes tracking calories doesn't suck that much! 😆 loved this video!

I just know this video will be one I don't delete from my "Watch Later" playlist anytime soon. So many powerful, encouraging, positive points in this! I follow some accounts on Instagram that promote intuitive eating but I feel like I've been distant from it or something. This video was just so REFRESHING. Thank you for this. I got your "Me Time Journal" for Christmas, but have not started using it as I don't feel comfortable enough with food at the moment. When I see it on my desk beside "Fully Functioning Human (Almost)" it just makes me glad I could support a fellow Irish gal in her journey. I think it shows a lot of your character and my view of you as a person that I don't feel guilty about not using the Me Time Journal at the moment. I just feel like I know that you are so open and understanding about people and their lives that it wouldn't be a big deal. That it just is not the right time in my life to use it, at this moment in time. Because I associate it with you, I allow myself the patience and the acceptance that it's just not where I am right now. I hadn't actually realised this until now. Pretty proud of myself for being patient with myself. Good job, Claire *pats back* Best of luck with "If Only"! It's currently on my "when i have money" list! Exciting times

Also, Mel you literally inspire me everyday to eat well and look after myself. You inspired me to start intuitive eating and proper ED recovery. Thank you❤️

Your videos help me so SO much Mel, thanks for the tips!💚

Me: wait,what accent? Melanie: *ah-boat* Me:....right

The exact video i needed today, been trying to avoid going back to bad restrictive habits and the car analogy was amazing

I know this is off topic 😂but I wanted to thank you for the book signing.you were just as lovely as you were for the first one. Only this time I wasn't as nervous as the first signing 😂 So thank you for a lovely time 😊 Also would you mind thanking your dad for taking a picture of me a Jessie I feel like I forgot I was distracted by it all. It's been annoying me ever since!!! That suit also looked fab on you. Enjoying the book so much I'm not quite finished it yet though!!! Thanks for doing the signing ❤️

0:40 yup, here for the Irish accent 🤣🇮🇪

Can you make videos about the habits you developped in your 20s regarding money and saving, work and motivation, friendships and social life, exercising and mental health? I love your videos 😘😘 xoxo from a 20 something Frenchie

Hi Mel. I'd love an episode of mental health/ ways of coping with stress and anxiety habits you have formed x lots of love 💚 xx

Love these points! Do what works for you. I personally have abandoned breakfast, and that really works for me. I always had to force breakfast down. I was hungry, yet any food made me feel kind of sick. Oatmeal would grow in my mouth, etc. Smoothies were too light and would make me hungry an hour later. I finally just stopped eating breakfast. Funnily enough, it has given me much more energy. I don't get that crash of hunger later, I can just go about my day without any surges in hunger or energy/insulin levels. I don't feel hungry when I wake up anymore, because my body is used to it. It helps me manage my calories, and I can have nice portions for lunch and dinner without panicking about portion size, and still lose weight. Skipping breakfast just makes me so more stable, mentally and energy-wise!

This is such a beautiful video, Melanie! It's helped me to feel so much better about what I'm eating and I'm going to go back to food journaling. I think I have recently developed an intolerance to dairy so I'm going to try that.

Your personality is as sunshiny as the yellow top 😊 It's so nice to just hear and see you talk about this because it helped me so much

I have been subscribed to you for soo long and while I don't watch regularly, I do come back to your videos every now and then and you really feel like a super cool big sister that I can look up to!

Ive never had an eating disorder so its so interesting to hear the in's and out's of what its like living with one. I cant imagine what it must be like to continuously eat to the point of being physically sick or purposely depriving yourself extensively to lose weight. Eating till you feel like youre full is so simple - to me, interesting to hear how its not that simple for others. Very educational.

Lmaooooo the accent.... that’s actually why I originally subscribed 😂😂😂😂♥️♥️♥️♥️

I love your food diary friday vlogs x

Your hair looks like sheets of silk! o: Also regarding intuitive eating, I found that throughout the week, sometimes I wake up hungry and eat a breakie similar to what you describe. And sometimes I wake up and all I'm happy to have is my morning coffee, and then I'll have a nice brunch meal around 12/1 in the afternoon. This seems to agree with my body quite a lot. If I decide to eat something even if I don't feel hungry, then my body let's me know xD and I find myself a bit off and cranky all day.

I watch your videos because they make me happy the accent is a bonus! Please do one about mental health habits! Love you Mel 💚

What a beautifully intelligent and humble and level headed person you are, I freaking LOVE you!!! 💚💚💚

Hey Mel, I absolutely love your mindset on food! I’m really trying to change mine again... I have a long history of eating issues and orthorexia, and I think my first year of uni made me so overwhelmed and anxious because so much was going on and I was hungover and tired all the time, so i started binge eating. As in, eating so much throughout the day, after years of restriction I could no longer control myself around foods I had deemed ‘bad’ and I would go out and buy food (eg biscuits, pizza, garlic bread, a huge chocolate bar, crisps) almost every day... yeah, it was bad. And even though it’s summer now, it’s hard to get back to the good mindset I was in when I was 17/18 and was managing to eat pretty intuitively. Any tips would be so welcome! 😋

I can so relate to this. I’m so glad I came across intuitive eating recently and your channel. So refreshing to not be consumed by food. Also just ordered your book, can’t wait to read it 🙌

Another really great video! Thanks mel ♥️♥️

This is great, its one thing to be on a diet. But you also need to enjoy it!

LOVE LOVE LOVE FOOD DIARY FRIDAY VIDEOS!

love you with the dark hair

I found this so helpful, thank you so much

Your GLOWING in this video ✨😍so so gorgeous inside and out 😍✨❤️

Your videos inspire me so much!!! Going to my CrossFit session now because you make me want to go there for improving my health instead of just to go to lose weight!!! 😍😍🤗🤗🤗🤗 Everytime I come back from these sessions, I feel so energized, I wonder why did I not want to go to them earlier in the day! 😅

Honestly, food journals are hard. I like them, but sometimes they’re so triggering on a bad day where a normal amount looks like too much! They’re a good idea for some, and for me they are good in certain periods in my life, but I have to be careful 😭

Really love the content you put out!😁👍

I agree 100% with not checking calories, not limiting yourself to cheat days or anything like that. I've noticed I've lost more weight by not limiting myself as I didn't crave it as much. I eat a tonne of veg anyway, but chocolate is my downfall lol.

Thank you so much for this video I hope it helps me from this day forward 💕

I would like a video on how you make your oats!

Mel, can you please just come live with me and sort out my eating patterns 😂😂😂 I eat porridge with peanut butter, honey and Berries thanks to your influence 💜💜💜

Yellow looks really good on you ♥️♥️♥️

You and blindboy boat club should do a video talking abt mental health or just anything really💙 you probably know him he does amazing podcasts

I too have food journal

As I live at home with my parents and 8 times out of 10 eat what they eat - I always try and get a vegetarian meal at a restaurant or take away 🙌🏽 easy way to cut down on meat!

I love your editing style..

This is amazing thank you so much. It’s interesting that a lot is common sense but I think we can all be guilty of forgetting that it’s all about listening to your body, being sensible etc. What I’d like to know please Melanie, is you know when you tracked your food to see how your body reacted and you now know what you can’t eat, how do you know which food it was you ate that caused the symptom? Could a symptom appear a day later so how do you know which was the culprit? Thank you xx

I literally tried quorn mince for the first time today at my mums! She cooked pasta bolognese with it and it was delicious 😍

What's wrong about accent? I like it so much cos' I understand your speech without subs even though I'm not a native English speaker :)

Would love to try some of the things you have for breakfast for myself, do you have recipes or a grocery list for me to follow? ps love your videos

ooh could you recommend some good recipe instagrams?

Hahah, my body laughs at intuitive eating. My body wants 8 big mac, a pizza..... seriously... I do. Nothing is more pleasurable to my body then a good ol binge.

What’s the highlighter you wearing? And i am going to try to just accept me and take things easier.. I get so depressed about dieting and failing and trying thousand of things... I know I am not the only one I wanna reach the best version of myself

Food diAry friday pleaaaseeee

WHAT is in your lips girl? I loooooove the color!!

It's awesome that you are trying to reduce your meat consumption but don't restrict yourself. I'm a vegan and I think vegans can appreciate that people are conscious and trying their best. Also it's so important not to use veganism as an excuse to "feed" an eating disorder and unhealthy habits. Thank you for reminding us that mental health is important too and that we don't have to be perfect or eat perfect all the time! :)

I miss the food diaries so much! Even if they're repetitive, I'd still watch them!

It would be awesome if you could do a work/productivity habits video :D I am loving this series it is brilliant :)

I know this isn't the topic of the video but GIRL your skin is GLOWY!!! What foundation are you wearing? (Also, love this series

What is that highlighter??!! You are GLOWING!!

Honestly your advice in the past about intuitive eating helped my binging so so much so thank you xx

food! diary! fridays! also love that top/dress/thing. yellow is my favorite color and it looks wonderful with your skin. also your hair looks great! and finally, i learned a great amount from this video, like talking with a really cool older sister.

Amazing to hear someone else talk about their transition with their diet. I was vegetarian and vegan and I found I started to have massive cravings, then I started to buy these off limit foods eat them really quickly at home and then hide the wrappers from my boyfriend. I would feel so ashamed and anxious. I could see straight away that it wasn’t healthy so I’ve taken away all labels and now eat intuitively mostly plant based but allowing occasional meat and dairy and it has helped my mental heath so much. It’s a work in progress but I definitely think there is a lot to be said about listening to your body.

I know vegan RU-vidrs did you dirty and I would just like to thank you for not bashing veganism. For me it did the exact opposite. From an omnivore perspective it's a very restrictive diet and that's what initially sparked my disordered brain's interest. Then I educated myself on the ethics and environmental aspects of it and it put everything into a completely different perspective for me. It's a little sad that I couldn't value myself enough to motivate me to eat more veggies but at the end of the day I do eat a lot healthier now and am not obsessing over my body anymore. And most importantly: I don't see the foods that I am eating as good and bad (sort of because I have a new classification of good and bad foods.)

Hi Melanie! I've been really enjoying watching your videos lately, you have a charming personality and great thoughts! I am vegan for ethical reasons, and I am really happy with my diet. Wathcing this video and learning you are reduciterian (dunno how to spell), I just want to say that's amazing. Keep promoting less harm to the environment and less triggering diets in a such an affordable and real way that you do. This world doesn't need everyone to be strictly 100% plant-based, if everyone would be concious and aware of the harm farming does by reducing at least a little, that would be awesome. sorry for a long msg haha P.S. can't wait to read your book love from Russia and love ur accent :)

Thank you for this joy!!! It's so so so useful and reassuring, also your look is on point girl 😍 Can't wait for relationship habits! 💚

What about a video on how your perspective has changed from your 20s?

Yas yas yas just want to say you inspired me to start weightraining and crossfit thank you so so much sometimes it's a bit intimidating being young and a woman in the gym but thanks too you i feel like i'm more than capable too be there!! Thank you so much for your honesty and openess wish teenagers like me had more ppl like you on the internet!!! 💕💚💚💞💪🏻💪🏻

Intuitive eating is my favourite healthy eating habit and I'm so glad you brought it up!

i don't know what i would do without mel's videos. such an inspiration

Thanks Melanie, such wonderful tips ❤️💕

This video has been really helpful thankyou Mel! I have just started university and it has flared my IBS of horrendously. At the minute I can fathom the thought of eating food, it makes me feel sick at the thought. I'm going to try eating breakfast and eat cleaner for my IBS . Thankyou ❤

My problem is that I am scared of trying some kind of inflammatory foods (gluten, dairy, sugar) because I have bad skin issues☹️ I used to love having a drink with friends and now I don’t go out. Too scared to make my skin worse with all these things. I would love to cure definitely my skin. You’re a real inspiration and I want to be able to find a balance between my mental health and my skin health like you do. Kiss from Switzerland ❤️

I love your mindset about food!! It's really inspiring to hear, and I know your thoughts will help so many people. I'd love to see some Food Diary videos here and there for meal inspiration :) (ps: just ordered If Only and I'm sooo excited!)

Love this video! thank you for always being so open and talking about such taboo topics

Loved this and would definitely love more food diary Fridays 😁😍

LOVE THIS!!! please do a food diary Friday❤️❤️❤️

I used to start my day with food to go and I now LIVE for a seated breakfast. I guess it's me adulting! ahah

the analogy with the car is perfect, thank you

IBS fellow here. What a fun ride!😂

I MISS THE FOOD DIARY VIDEOS!!!:)

Melanie this is such a good video I loved it so much. I'm going to be cooking and buying food for myself for the first time when I go to uni this summer and I think this video will come in really handy!!!

Thanks for your food related videos. They always help calm my mind and remind me to seek balance.

thanks for making this video!! I'm so happy that you're speaking out against dieting :)

love that you honor the distinction between vegan and plantbased! so important!

The biggest (life)lessons learnt in your twenties?

I haven't been able to have an ordinary breakfast on a weekday for nearly a year, due to my awful awful job. It gives me so much stress my eating habits have gone bonkers and my weight skyrocketed to the point where clothes that fit me last October are tiny now. I'm gonna quit and I am so ready to take on good food habits again. Thank you for this, you've helped me so much 💚💚💚

Love this Series